Tranquility
by The Steppy One
Summary: Ron takes Harry somewhere where he can relax from the stresses of hunting for Horcruxes. Written before Deathly Hallows was released.


**I wrote this a long time ago, couple of months before Deathly Hallows came out and have only just remembered that I haven't put it on here! Some Harry, Ron friendship for you. Enjoy**

**Step ;)**

* * *

'Ron, where are we?' Harry asked the red headed boy, man, striding away from him, having just been side-along apparated to wherever they now were.

Ron ignored Harry and just kept on walking away from him.

'Ron! Where are we and where are we going?'

'We're going for a walk, Harry!' Ron answered without looking at the raven-haired boy, man, behind him.

'Ron stop!' Harry shouted at his friend's back. 'I'm not taking another step until you tell me what we're doing! We don't have time to faf about with stupid things, or have you forgotten saving the Wizarding world from the psychotic cockhead hell bent on killing me!'

Ron carried on walking but looked over his shoulder and grinned at Harry.

Realising Ron wasn't going to stop, Harry hurried after him.

'What's so bloody funny,' Harry mumbled as he kept up with Ron, three of his strides to every two of Ron's.

'You said cockhead. I've got you saying cockhead! One down, one to go!'

'Yeah, like you're going to get Hermione saying cockhead!'

'I find I can be very persuasive when I put my mind to it!'

'Yeah right!' Harry scoffed.

'Got you following me without doing a great deal, didn't I?' Ron said smugly.

Harry ignored his comment.

'You still haven't told me where we are.'

'We just said cockhead four times in about twenty seconds. That's got to be some sort of record!'

'Ron! Will you just answer my bloody question? Where the hell are we?'

'Devon,' Ron replied simply.

'Devon! DEVON! But we're supposed to be in Northumberland!'

'No, we're supposed to be in Northumberland in the morning when we've all had a good night's sleep and are fully rested for the continuation of our little quest, but until then we don't have to be anywhere.'

'Does Hermione know where we are? She's gonna kill you if you haven't told her!'

'Ha! You've run out of arguments! You always bring Hermione into things when you can't think of anything to throw back at me! You just hope that whatever I'm doing that's annoying you will annoy Hermione just as much, and that the prospect of her wrath will tempt me to stop what I'm doing. Well, tough luck Saviour Boy, she knows where we are. She was quite happy about the idea actually!'

Harry was struck dumb. He wasn't sure what of Ron's speech had taken away his inability to talk, Ron figuring out Harry's arguing strategy, him calling him 'Saviour Boy' or the fact that Hermione knew what Ron was up to and he didn't.

He saw Ron smirk out of the corner of his eye.

'Fine, would you then at least be kind enough to tell me why we are at the other end of the country to where we were a minute and a half ago?'

Ron stopped and looked at the horizon.

'That's why,' he stated simply.

Harry hadn't been looking at where they were or where they were walking. It caught him off guard when the scene before him was one of perfect tranquillity; a lake in the middle of a field. He wasn't sure whether it was an established lake, or whether the field had just become flooded. Whatever it was, someone had built a small jetty, ending twenty metres into the mass of water.

His breath caught in his throat.

'Come on,' Ron said brightly, heading towards the jetty.

Harry shook his head and walked after Ron.

They walked to the end of the jetty and sat down, cross-legged on the battered planks of wood.

Ron took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

'Ron, why are we here?' Harry asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace that surrounded him.

'You needed a break. Granted it won't be much, but it's something.'

'Why do you think I need the break?'

'You snapped at Hermione four times yesterday and you punched a hole through the wall of that shack we slept in last night. You are extremely tightly wound and you need to get rid of some of that stress before I knock you out for upsetting Hermione, and yourself again.'

'No, no, don't sugar coat things, Ron. Please tell me how it is!'

'I wouldn't be being your friend if I did.'

Harry stared at the water in front of him.

'Did I really snap at Hermione four times?'

'Yep.'

'Oh.'

'Yes, oh.'

'Do you really feel the need to knock me out?'

'Not at the minute.'

'Oh, good.'

'Let it heal you, Harry'

Harry's eyes widened at the words that had just, apparently, come out of Ron's mouth.

'I'm sorry, what?'

'Just…let all this overwhelm you and remind you that there is a bigger picture to the one where living in at the minute.'

'Er, Ron, you're starting to scare me.'

'Why?'

'Since when have you been…spiritual?'

Ron laughed. 'It's not spiritual, Harry, it's just relaxing. Sit here and think, sit here and vent. Throw yourself into the water and thrash out all your anger and frustration if you think it'll help, just do something that gets rid of all the stuff in your head you can't handle.'

Harry sat and contemplated Ron's words for a minute.

'I don't want to jump in the water,' he stated simply.

'Okay,' Ron replied.

'But…I will say sorry for winding you up.'

'I didn't bring you here for an apology, mate. I brought you here for you.'

'I still owe you an apology though, and Hermione.'

'Well, you can do that when we go back, but for now, do what you want.'

Harry's gaze shifted to the planks underneath him.

'I just…sometimes I…I just don't think I can do it some days. Sometimes I just want someone to come along and tell me that they'll take care of it and I can have a normal life which doesn't involve sleeping in shacks and dragging my two best friends through so much shit that they don't deserve!'

He shifted his gaze so he was staring at the horizon.

'Sometimes I just want to scream out loud 'it's not fair' and throw a temper tantrum like a two year old!'

'Go on then!' Ron replied.

'What?' Harry retorted.

'Scream 'its not fair' and throw a temper tantrum. There's no one here to see you but me and I'm not gonna tell anyone!'

'I don't think I have the energy to have a temper tantrum at the minute.'

'Well, when you do and want to scream at the world for dealing you a crap hand then you can come here and shout and throw things and swear and no one will ever know.'

Harry looked sideways at Ron.

'Thanks Ron, for this…for…everything. You're an unbelievable friend.'

'I know,' Ron said with a grin.

Harry laughed. 'Big head.'

'Scar head.'

'Cockhead.'

Harry didn't hear Ron's response, as he had been pushed off the jetty and was three feet under water.

Ron grinned to himself. But the grin didn't last long, because the jetty disappeared from underneath him and he too landed in the lake.


End file.
